Kuki Students Urge Manipur Governor to Establish Civil Service Exam Center in Churachandpur

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The Kuki Students’ Organisation (KSO) has appealed to Manipur Governor Anusuiya Uikey to designate Churachandpur as an examination center for the upcoming Manipur Public Service Commission (MPSC) Combined Competitive (Mains) Examination, 2022. The students are requesting the change due to the ongoing conflict in the state, which has made travel to the current examination centers in Imphal and Guwahati, Assam, challenging. This move would ensure equal opportunity and fairness for all candidates, particularly those from the Kuki community who have been affected by the violence.

The Manipur Public Service Commission has scheduled the main examination for September, with only Imphal and Guwahati as the designated venues. The KSO, representing affected aspirants from the hill districts, points out that the current arrangement poses “undue physical, psychological, and financial hardship” on Kuki candidates. Traveling to Guwahati, the alternative to Imphal, is not only a long and arduous journey but also a costly one, with travel expenses estimated at over ₹30,000 per person. For many students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, this cost is prohibitive and may prevent them from even appearing for the exam.

In a memorandum to the Governor, the KSO highlighted that several national-level examinations, including UGC-NET, NEET, and banking exams, have been successfully and smoothly conducted in Churachandpur recently. This demonstrates that the district has the necessary infrastructure and administrative capacity to host the MPSC examinations as well. The organization believes that holding the exams in Churachandpur would not only address the immediate logistical and safety concerns of the students but also help restore confidence in the state’s democratic institutions.

The students’ plea underscores the continuing impact of ethnic tensions on daily life and public services in Manipur. By requesting a local examination center, the KSO is seeking a practical solution to a pressing problem that affects the future of hundreds of young individuals. The outcome of the Governor’s decision will be a crucial test of the state’s ability to provide equitable access to government opportunities for all its citizens, even in a period of civil unrest.